Education Commons^™

That's My Voice! Participation And Democratic Citizenship In The Early Childhood Classroom, Monica Miller Marsh, Elizabeth A. Kenyon, Terri Cardy, Erin M. West

Democracy and Education

This paper shares a participatory action research study conducted by a team of researchers at a university laboratory school in collaboration with three classroom teachers and 60 preschoolers. The team engaged in this research in order to examine the ways in which school personnel could generate more authentic community service experiences with, rather than simply for, children. Findings illustrate that with the support of adults, children generated ways to address issues, discussed their ideas with adults, reflected on their actions, and understood that their voices were being heard beyond the school community. With this increased participation, young people were able …